1
as in reverse
a change in status for the worse usually temporarily
the company's long-term strategy is sound, and they should be able to weather this latest reversal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turnaround
a changing from one policy or point of view to virtually its exact opposite
parents need to be consistent in their discipline policy, as reversals will only undermine the whole process
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reversal
Benzinga Markets were pricing roughly a 50% probability the Federal Reserve raises rates by December, a stunning reversal from expectations of two cuts at the start of the year.
—
Benzinga, Freep.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Retail traders are growing particularly fatigued with the market, a reversal from their previous penchant for dip-buying.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Once land plants, seagrasses staged one of evolution’s boldest reversals — returning to the ocean and reinventing their biology to thrive beneath the waves.
—David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Did this reversal come early in the process of hatching the story?
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reversal
Benzinga, Freep.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Retail traders are growing particularly fatigued with the market, a reversal from their previous penchant for dip-buying.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Once land plants, seagrasses staged one of evolution’s boldest reversals — returning to the ocean and reinventing their biology to thrive beneath the waves.
—David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Did this reversal come early in the process of hatching the story?
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reversal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reversal
Noun
-
But remember — the formula works in reverse, too.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Plus, its 8000mAh battery not only lasts all day but also supports reverse charging.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Part of the company’s dramatic turnaround since new ownership took over in 2019 has been to allow individual stores to tailor the shopping experience and displays to their local markets, rather than corporate’s cookie-cutter mandates, according to reporting by ModernRetail.—
Matt Leclercq,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The trick to accomplishing a quick turnaround is to use the last two losses as teaching points, figuring out how to better close things out against good teams.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With strong leadership and direction, what first appears as setbacks can in fact be a jumping-off point for invention and growth.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In revisiting Lehmann’s story, Strager highlights that Lehmann’s legacy is one of resilience and perseverance—proof that early setbacks do not define a person and that brilliance can flourish, even later in life.—
Carol Sutton Lewis,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One of his most popular early clips featured a Holocaust-denial riff about how many cookies could fit in an oven.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Recently, despite their consistent and ridiculous denials, it was found that Iran had built numerous missiles capable of reaching all over Europe.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Conservative influencers, among others, blasted the turnabout and questioned Bondi’s capability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In a turnabout-is-fair-play moment, a Sparty fan showed during a break of the Wolverines’ game was treated with equal disdain.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This volte-face was not just about electoral politics.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
-
The Kremlin has denied any such request was made, which tells you something about how Moscow views the optics of this diplomatic volte-face.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In a rare about-face, the move by Israeli police to block Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from the holiest site in Christianity was reversed after criticism.—
Sammy Westfall,
Washington Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped more than 1,100 points at its session high, marking an about-face from its sharp decline on Friday.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Connecticut students should not lose access to meaningful support because of hesitation.—
Christopher P. DeSanctis,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Mets don’t have any hesitation in letting Benge face lefties, but wanted to keep Robert’s bat in the lineup.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reversal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reversal. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
